Log-skidding apparatus.



PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

'1 J. D. AUSTIN. LOG SKIDDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21. 1903.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

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No. 795,677. PATENTED JULY 25, 1905- V J. D. AUSTIN.

LOG SKIDDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION nun) AUG.'21.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOG-SKIDDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905 Application filed August 21, 1903. Serial No. 170,336.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that L-JoHN DAVID AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thonotosassa, in the county of Hillsboro and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Log-Skidding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus employed in lumbering operations, more particularly to apparatus wherein cableways are employed for the transportation of logs, timber, and like heavy bodies, but which may be employed in connection with any similar apparatus employed for like or other purposes.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the operation of the device and decrease the labor and time required to perform the work; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereafter shown and described,and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figurel is a side elevation illustrating the apparatus with the load -en'gaging members in their outward position. Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the position with the load-engaging members at their inward positions. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the gripping-tongs and slackline-shackle mechanism. Fig. 4 isa view illustrating a slight modification in the construction. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of an approved form of winding-drum mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the traveler.

An approved installation of a skidding apparatus is herein represented. for the purpose of illustration, consisting of a cableway 10 of any required length connected between end supports,such as trees 11 12 of suitablestrength and between which the cable is stretched by any suitable or usual means. These cableways are of various lengths and located at required points, according to circumstances, to adapt the way to the loads to be transported.

When employed in timbering operations, the outer support 11 will be located beyond the loads to be transported or preferably beyond the field or area covered by the loads, and as the loads are scattered over a relatively wide field it is necessary to first haul them laterally to the cableway before they can be conducted longitudinally of the latter. To assist in the operation of these lateral preliminary hauls is the principal object of the present invention.

The cableway 10 is provided with atraveler of any approved form, and for the purpose of illustration a device of this character is shown consisting of side plates 13 14:, connected by transverse upper shafts or studs carrying bearing-pulleys 15, running upon the cable 10 and with a guide-pulley 17 and carrier-pulley 18, as shown. The support 11 is provided with a back-haul block 19, and the support 12 is likewise provided with guide-pulleys 20, 21, and 22, as shown.

The hoisting or winding mechanism may be of any approved construction and such a structure is represented at 23 and is generally provided with two independentlybperative winding-drums 24 25; but for the purpose of the present invention a third winding-drum is employed, as represented at 26, the object to be hereinafter described.

The main outhaul-cable is represented at 27 and is connected by one end to the traveler, as at 28, carried thence around the backhaul-block 19, over the guide-pulleys 17 and 20, and thence to the drum 24c.

The main load-hauling or draft cable is represented at 29 and is connected at one end to the grip-tongs 30 or other means of attachment to the load to be transported, such as a log, and thence carried to the winding-drum 25 over the carrier-pulley 18 and guide-pulley 21.

Connected to the free end of the draft-cable 29 or to the grip mechanism 30, as by ahook each drum may be positively rotated forwardly, permitted to run free backwardly, or its motion checked entirely, as required.

When thus constructed and installed, the

operation is as follows: The tongs or other attaching means 30 will be held normally in its elevated position against the traveler by the sag of the cable 29, which is a relatively heavy one to enable it to sustain the required strains. The drum 24 is operated and the drums 25 26 released to haul the traveler to the desired point on the Way-cable 10. The drum 25 is then released and the drum 26 operated, resulting in causing the slack haulcable 33 to draw the tongs 30 away from the traveler until a suificient slack has been obtaiued in the cable 29 to enable the tongs to be attached to the load, the drum 24 having been held stationary by its brake to enable the traveler to resist the strain and remain stationary upon the cableway. The slack haul-cable is then disconnected from the tongs and the drum 26 operated to wind the cable 33 up until the stop-ring 34 strikes the pulley 22, which will leave the hook 32 hanging within easy reach of the operators, the stopring being located at the proper distance from the hook 33 to accomplish this result, as shown in Fig. 2. The load is then hauled in by releasing the drum 24: and operating the drum 25. When the tongs have been detached, the hook 32 is again connected to the tongs, so that when the traveler is again hauled out for another load the slack haulcable will be carried out with it and be in position for the next operation. By this simple arrangement the necessity for manually hauling the tongs or other load-attaching means down to the load, which is frequently at a comparatively remote distance from the cableway and traveler, is obviated and a saving in both time and labor resulting and at a comparatively small additional expense.

The shackle by which the slack haulcable is connected to the tongs or draft-cable will preferably be in the form shown in Fig. 3, consisting of the hook 32, coupled to an elongated link 35 on the end of the slack haulcable 33, and with an elongated point 36 extending over the link 35 and coupled thereto by a sliding link 37 on the elongated link 35. The hook 32 is adapted for connection to one of the links of the member 30 or to the cable 29, as may be preferred. By this simple means theslack haul-cable may be quickly coupled and uncoupled when required, while at the same time being very securely held when in action.

If preferred, an additional block or pulley 38 may be connected at the outer end of the system, as to the tree-11, as shown, and the slack haul-cable carried through this block from the tongs before it is carried to the block 22 and drum 26. This arrangement may be employed under certain circumstances and under certain conditions, but would not be a departure from the principle of the invention.

In the foregoing description is shown the preferred form of the invention, but is not necessarily limited thereto, as modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In an elevated carrier apparatus, the combination with a way, a traveler mounted on the way, a draft-cable supported by the traveler, and means for winding the cable in one direction, of slack haul-cable connected with the draft-cable at its free end to positively draw the draft-cable through its support on the traveler and an independently-movable rotating drum for operating the slack haul-cable.

2. In an elevated carrier apparatus, the combination with a way, a traveler on the way, a pulley on the traveler, and a drum-operated draft-cable passing over the pulley on the carrier, and having a free end, of an independently-rotatable drum, and a slack haulcable detachably connected with free end of the draft-cable and wound upon the drum.

3. In a log-skidding apparatus, the combination with a way, a traveler on the way and having a cable-supporting means, and a drum wound cable passing through the support, of a drum capable of movement independently of the drum for the cable, and a cable detachably connected with the first-named cable and on the last named drum to pull the firstnamed cable througlrits support.

4. In alog-skidding machine, a way, a cablesupport on the way including a pulley, a draft-cable passing over the pulley, a drum on one side of the pulley, and connected to the cable, and an independently movable drum-wound cable connected with the firstnamed cable on the side of the pulley opposite to its winding-drum.

5. In a log-skidding apparatus, an independently-wound cable, a suspended pulley for supporting the cable, a second independently-wound cable, a pulley-block for supporting the second cable means for detachably connecting the second cable with the first and a stop intermediate the ends of the second cable to limit its movement through the pulley-block.

6. In a conveying device, in combination, a carriage, a load-pulling rope extending over a guide on the carriage, traversing means, an

outhaul-rope and a grip actuated by said outhaul-rope and adapted to engage the load.

pulling rope to draw it outwardly; said grip being detachably secured at a point beyond said guide.

7 In a conveying device, in combination, a carriage, two actuators, rope-runs detachably connected extending from one actuator over a guide on the carriage and back to the 

